The recommended daily limit for a woman is 25 grams of sugar, or about six teaspoons. If you’re a man, you get a bit more, 36 grams – still far below the amount in that one drink.

Whether you’re lining up for the pumpkin beverage, a Frappuccino, eggnog latte or mocha, Imus suggests making the drink a weekly treat, not a daily event. These concoctions range from 300-500 calories, depending on size and accoutrements. One way to cut sugar intake is simply to reduce the drink size. Most coffee shops still carry 8-oz. cups, for instance.

And you can ask for less flavoring, Imus added. “Most don’t realize that baristas regularly put three to four pumps of flavoring in a drink. You can ask for half that amount or just have one.”

Some of her patients who have espresso machines at home make their own concoctions, using a puree of honey, cinnamon and pumpkin, she said.

“It’s very unlikely you’re going to put 12 teaspoons of sugar in the drink.”